Sunday, November 7, 2010

Dude, I'm one month away from 40! I may be doing the I Like Big Bundts countdown to National Bundt Day on November 15th, but I'm really counting down to December 7th, my 40th birthday!

As you know, I've started this party a wee bit early by having a few giveaways the past few months to celebrate YOUR upcoming birthday because everyone has an upcoming birthday!

For my 39 11/12th, one lucky reader has the chance to win a $39 11/12 Amazon Gift Card ($39.92 U.S. Dollars).

As my blog name implies, I'm interested in Food and Libraries (public librarian by day, baker by night). Unfortunately, there are many who have limited access to both. In addition to the gift card, I'll be donating to two charities in your name! Feeding America to support local feed banks, and Oxfam's Book for Kids gift to provide children with books. ($30 to Feeding America and $20 to Oxfam). The holiday season is fast approaching (what?!), so I hope you consider giving the gift of food or books to those in need.
To enter this little giveaway, just leave a comment (if you aren't connected to a blog, leave your email address...and if you have a blogger account but it's private so I can't see it...leave your email address). Deadline is Sunday, November 14, 2010 at midnight PST. FCC Disclosure: My birthday giveaways are paid for by me.

*** Contest is closed. Congrats to Linda of Tender Crumb! ***

I received my favorite lemon bar for my 39 11/12th birthday! This is a lavender lemon bar from Cafe Surfas in Culver City, CA. The Surfas restaurant store is my crack den. Thanks Jessica for the lovely lemon bar! If anyone has the recipe for this delightful treat, pass it along. The lemon is creamy, not like a regular lemon bar. It is one of my very favorite desserts! - mary the food librarian, enjoying my 39 11/12 years!

123
comments:

I have a great lemon bar recipe - but it doesn't look like this. It's a shortbread base with sort of a lemon curd on top. This almost looks like the kind of filling for key lime pie. It's more dense in flavor.

I'm excited you are so excited for your 40th birthday! I have a dear friend who celebrated hers earlier this year and wasn't very excited about it. If 30 is the new 20 then 40 is definitely the new 25 :)

Surfas used to be on my way home- since I moved it's still pretty close but I don't drive by it everyday, testing my willpower to stop and buy everything in the store. I love that place and their lemon bars! (And also, love your blog! I have never commented before! Happy almost-birthday! I am two years ahead of you- it's pretty painless.)

Happy almost birthday! Love checking out the bundt recipes & will watch the recipe for these bars - they look very yummy! They look more like a custard or maybe even a lemon cheesecake type filling. Yummm!

Whoo Hoo....I love Partys and what a better way to celebrate than a count down to crossing over from the young adults to us older adults. Happy, wonderful, Birthday!Love your blog. Have ever since I found your layered jello last year. It was a hit! Thank you!

Hi ! I've been following your birthday countdown and don't believe that it's less than a month away!Not to be depressed that you are turning 40 cos that's when the party and your life begin!Thank you for the giveaway.Chris

Happy 30-11/12 birthday! That lemon bar looks amazing - I hope someone has the recipe! My guess from looking at it is that it's some sort of lemon custard rather than lemon curd for the filling (probably with cream or half-and-half in it? or sweetened condensed milk?) - in fact, it sort of looks like key lime pie filling, so I wonder if you could make that but with lemon instead of lime juice? When I've done lavender-or-herb-infused citrus stuff, I've heated up the dairy until just below boiling, added the herb, and then covered and let sit (off the heat) for a couple hours or until cool, and then strained out the herbs. You also might try adapting the filling of this pie (http://cupcakemuffin.blogspot.com/2008/05/lemon-chamomile-cream-pie.html) but with lavender in place of the chamomile - my only concern is that it might not be quite stiff enough to hold up to being in bars rather than a pie.

What an amazing dessert with which to celebrate! As a fellow librarian buried under multiple layers of sweaters and wraps trying to ward off the cold of her office (and outside temps), this lavender-lemon bar looks like a little slice of summer...

Happy 39 and 11/12 birthday! :) I wish more people would use the public libraries. There is a womans club that donates a book to my kids school for each child that completes the library summer reading program. There were about 20 kids total so 20 new books to the school library! :)

Lemon bars are my weakness. As are cannolis, creme brulee, dulce de leche cake, and peppermint ice cream (oh, I'm hungry now). Furthermore, your birthday is the day after my mother's, and 4 days before mine, so we'll be enjoying December with you!